Carbureted water gas method



Allg. 8, 1933. E, HALL 1,922,018

CARBURETED WATER GAS METHOD Filed NOV. 28, 1930 Patented Aug. 8, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARBURETED WATER GAS METHOD Application November 28, 1930 Serial No. 498,602

2 Claims. (Cl. 48-208) The present invention relates to the manufacture of carbureted water gas.

It is especially adapted for employment when so-called heavy oils and residuums are used as the carbureting material. By heavy oil I mean to include all oils which, when vaporized in the ordinary checker filled carburetor, cause difficulties due to excessive quantities of carbon deposited in the checker Work, tending to produce stoppages and requiring frequent cleanings.

In U. S. Patent 1,493,458, to Evans, Perry and Eichengreen, there is described a method of employing such heavy oils. The oil is vaporized by spraying it, during the run, onto a marginal zone at the top of the fuel bed which has been heated, during the air blasting operation, by secondary combustion, in contact with the fuel in the top of the fuel bed, of producer gas generated by the primary air blast applied to the base of the fuel bed. The secondary air is introduced peripherally adjacent to the top of the fuel bed. This process is a successful method of employing heavy oil for carbureting. The present invention has for its object the provision of improvements in the above method to overcome certain disadvantages hitherto attendant on its use.

Although the oil is directed onto the marginally heated Zone at the edge of the fuel bed, some oil and oil vapors come in contact with the cent1-a1 portion of the top of the fuel bed. Due to the fact that this portion of the fuel bed is normally somewhat inactive, there is a tendency for oil residues and oil coke to accumulate and clog this portion of the fuel bed, increasing the natural inactivity and tending to develop a dead core in the center through which the gas and gas making fluids do not pass.

According to the present invention during the air blasting operation I introduce jets of air into the top of the generator at sufficient velocity and so directed as to reach this inactive portion of the top of the fuel bed, to consume at least partially the oil residues there and prevent their accumulation. The regular consumption of the residues at recurring air blasting operations maintains the center of the fuel bed in a free and open condition.

The invention will be more particularly described in connection with the attached drawing which forms a part of this specification and which shows somewhat diagrammatically a carbureted water gas set in partial elevation and partial vertical cross section adapted to perform the method of the invention.

Referring to the drawing,

1 indicates the generator, 2 the carburetor and 3 the superheater of a carbureted water gas set. 4 is the wash box.

The generator is provided with the fuel bed, generally indicated as 5, and is further provided with the air blast supply means 6, and steam supply means '7, for up air blasting and steaming respectively. Downrun steam may be admitted to the superheater as at 8. The generator is provided with the gas offtake 9 leading to the carburetor, which in turn is connected to the superheater by connection 10. The superheater is provided with the stack valve 11 and with the gas offtake 12 provided with valve 13 leading to the wash box. The gas offtake 14 provided with valve 15 leads from the base of the generator to the wash box. 16 is the offtake from the wash box to storage.

The above provisions are those of the ordinary carbureted water gas apparatus.

The generator is further provided with means for supplying secondary air marginally adjacent to the top of the fuel bed. These means may be, for illustration, air supply means 17, valve 18, bustle pipe 19, and the connections 20 leading to the interior of the generator. The generator is further provided with the oil supply means 21 provided with valve 22 and oil spray 23 adapted to sprayoil onto the marginal hot zone 24 produced by the secondary blast through connections 20.

There is further provision of means for supply jets of air to the central portion of the top of the fuel bed. The means chosen for illustration comprise the air compressor 24, supplying air under pressure to the high pressure air reservoir 25"'and thence through connection 26, valve 27, bustle pipe 28 and connections 29 to the interior of the generator. Connections 29 are so directed and proportioned as to project the air onto the central portion of the fuel bed top.

The operation will be described according to a cycle chosen for illustration. The generator is blasted with air supplied at 6, storing heat in the fuel bed and generating producer gas which is burned in whole or in part by the secondary marginal blast introduced through connections 20, producing the marginal hot zone at the top of the fuel bed, and drying out, coking and at least partially consuming the oil residues remaining therein from the previous carbureting operation. Also air is supplied at high velocity from the high pressure reservoir 25 through pipes 29 to reach the central portion of the top of the fuel bed and by combustion there dry up, coke and consume at least partially oil residues which have accumulated there during the carbureting operation.

The hot blast gases from the generator pass through the carburetor and superheater storing heat therein and thence to atmosphere through the stack Valve l1.

After the air blasting operation an uprun is made with steam supplied through 7, the resultant blue water gas passing through the carburetor and superheater to the Washbox l and thence to storage. During the uprun, heavy oil is sprayed onto the marginal hot zone by the oil supply means 21 and spray 23. The oil is vaporized by the heat stored in this hot zone and the oil vapors pass to the carburetor and superheater with the blue Water gas, Where they are fixed to oil gas which passes with the blue water gas to storage.

During this carbureting operation, especially as the spray is turned on and shut oil' seme oil drips onto the central portion of 'the top of the fuel bed and oil vapors also corne in contact with it, resulting in the deposit of oil and oil residues in this portion as Well as in the marginal hot zone although to a less extent.

After the uprun, the steain is reversed and admitted at 8, superheated in the superheater and carburetor and passed through the fuel bed. The superheated steam aids in drying up and coling the oil residues both in the marginal zone and on the center of the fuel bed and passed down through the fuel bed generating Water gas Which passes from the base of the generator to the wash box through connection 14 and valve l5.

After the downrun the cycle be repeated. Of course, purges are made in the cycle when necessary.

The provision of the iets of air playing on the central portion of the fuel bed top, consumes sufficient of the oil residues deposited there to keep that portion of the fuel bed free and open and prevent undue accentuation of the natural tendn ency of the gas making fluids and produced gases to folloviT the generator Wall. This prevents the formation of a dead core in the center of the fuel bed with consequent loss of capacity. Tl'iis air also burns in whole or in part that portion of the producer gas generated by the primary blast which passes through the central portion of the fuel bed, storing additional heat in the top of the fuel.

The particular cycle described was chosen for illustration and may be varied widely Without departing from the spirit of this invention. For instance, oil may be supplied to the fuel bed top during the downrun, the resultant oil vapors being carried down through the fuel bed and partially decomposed therein to hydrocarbon gas and hydrogen, carbureting the simultaneously produced blue Water gas to form, during this part of the cycle, carbureted Water gas of loW specific gravity.

Although particularly adapted to the use of heavy oil for carbureting because it is desirable to introduce such oil to the fuel bed rather than the carburretor, the method of this invention may be employed to advantage with lighter oils should it be desired to vaporize these on the fuel bed.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the apparatus illustrated may be modified considerably and still fall Within the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A method of generating carbureted water gas in a solid fuel bed containing an oil residue in a water gas generator for the manufacture oi carbureted water gas Which includes air blasting the fuel bed upwardly from the bottom7 introducing secondary air marginally adjacent the upper edge of the fuel bed, introducing other secondary air to the center of the top of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases andconsuining, at least partially, any oil residues Withthe secondary air so introduced, and thereby heating the entire top of the fuel bed to incandescence, then alternately passing steam through the incandescent fuel and generating Water gas, and simultaneously carbureting the Water gas by spraying heavy oil on the upper surface of the highly heated marginal portion.

2. A method of generating carbureted water gas in a solid fuel bed containing an. oil residue in a Water gas generator for the manufacture of carbureted water gas which includes air blasting the fuel bed upwardly from the bottom, introducing secondary vair marginally adjacent the upper edge of the fuel bed, directing jets of air other than said secondary air toward the center of the top of the fuel bed, burning the blast gases and consuming, at least partially, any oil residue on the fuel bed with the secondary air so introduced, thereby heating the entire top of the fuel bed to incandescence, then alternately passing steam through the incandescent fuel and generating Water gas, and simultaneously carbureting the Water gas by'spraying heavy oil on the upper surface of the highly heated marginal portion.

EDWIN L. HALL. 

